Specialized millicode instruction for editing functions

ABSTRACT

A computer system having a pipelined computer processor, which executes a relatively simple instruction set in a hardware controlled execution unit and executes a relatively complex instruction set in a milli-mode architected state with a millicode sequence of simple instructions in said hardware controlled execution unit, a millicode operating in a milli-mode state when macro-mode decoding by said processor is suspended to cause the system to subsequently use processor milli-registers and the processor&#39;s decoder decodes them and schedules them for execution upon entry into the processor milli-mode. Millicode flags allow specialized update and branch instructions and flags are either cleared or specifically set for a millicode instruction. A millicode instruction for editing functions processes one byte of an input pattern string, generates one byte of an output string, and updates various pointers and state indications to prepare for processing the next byte in a string. Translate Fetch (TRFET) millicode instructions support a Translate and Test TRT instruction and specialized millicode instructions for packed decimal division make use of the hardware control and dataflow logic designed to support simpler packed decimal operations including Add to provide operand access, checking, preparation, and storing functions, and to generate the quotient digits as needed for the DP instruction are implemented as as internal code instructions, rather than implementing the entire DP function in hardware, and control is maintained in internal code allowing simpler handling of unusual and boundary conditions.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to improvements in pipelined computer processorsthat execute relatively simple instructions in hardware controlledexecution units and execute relatively complex instructions in amilli-mode architected state with vertical microcode (i.e. millicode)routines executing in the same hardware controlled execution units. Moreparticularly, this invention relates to Specialized MillicodeInstruction for Editing Functions.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present United States patent application is related to the followingco-pending United States patent applications which are assigned to theassignee of the present application International Business MachinesCorporation, (A U.S. Company or Corporation), Armonk, N.Y. (New York),U.S. (United States of America) and filed contemporaneously herewith:

U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/056,485 filed Apr. 7, 1998, andentitled "Millicode Flags with Specialized Update and BranchInstructions"; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/056,484, filedApr. 7, 1998, and entitled "Specialized Millicode Instruction forTranslate and Test; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/056,486,filed Apr. 7, 1998, and entitled "Specialized Millicode Instructions forPacked Decimal Division".

Glossary

THE GLOSSARY NEEDS TO BE CHECKED AND COMPLETED

ED is the ESA/390 Edit instruction

EDMK is the ESA/390 Edit and Mark instruction

GR refers to a general register; while MGR refers to a millicode generalregister as opposed to a program general register. MAR refers to amillicode access register

MCR referes to the millicode control registers

TRFET refers to the new Translate Fetch millicode instruction

TRT refers to an ESA/390 Translate and Test (TRT) instruction.

QSD refers to quotient digits

QX refers to a specific quotient digit

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the last year International Business Machines Corporation introduceda new generation of S/390 ESA CMOS machines known as the G4 generation.There was then introduced a pipelined computer processor which providedfor the use of millicode and which in a milli-mode architected statetests the validity of a program status word with a mask stored in amillicode general register (MGR). The mask indicates bits in the programstatus word which are to be zeros if the word is valid. A logical ANDoperation is performed between correspondingly positioned bits in theword and bits in the mask and in addition the status of at least oneother bit in the word is checked, a bit other than a correspondinglypositioned bit.

A milli-mode operation enables implementation of complex functions in alarge, hardware controlled, pipelined, general purpose digital computerwithout a microprocessor. Milli-mode implements these complex functionswith the flexibility provided by firmware and avoids a packaging problemintroduced by the inclusion of microprocessor hardware. Rather than amicroprocessor, milli-mode uses the preexisting dataflow and hardwarecontrolled execution units of a pipelined processor to accomplishcomplex functions. Additional hardware controlled instructions (privatemilli-mode only instructions) are added to provide control functions orto improve performance. These private milli-mode instructions augmentthe architected instruction set. Milli-mode routines can intermingle themilli-mode only instructions with architected instructions to implementcomplex functions, as illustrated by U.S. Pat. No. 5,694,587, issuedDec. 2, 1997. U.S. Pat. No. 5,694,587 describes specialized millicodedinstructions for a PSW Validity Test, Load With Access Test, andCharacter Translation Assist, which were employed in the IBM machineknown as the G4 S/390 machine introduced in 1997. Related to U.S. Pat.No. 5,694,587 were additional applications related to milli-code whichare implemented in the same G4 S/390 machine introduced in 1997 byInternational Business Machines Corporation. These were:

Application Ser. No. 08/414,821, filed Mar. 31, 1995, entitled"Millicode Read-Only Storage With Entry Point Patch Control." Adivisional application Ser. No. 08/455,820, filed May 31, 1995, (nowU.S. Pat. No. 5,625,808 issued Apr. 29, 1997) entitled "Read Only Storeas Part of Cache Store for Storing Frequently Used MillicodeInstructions."

Application Ser. No. 08/414,977, filed Mar. 31, 1995, (now U.S. Pat. No.5,673,391 issued Sep. 30, 1997) entitled "Hardware Retry Trap forMillicoded Processor"

Application Ser. No. 08/414,158, filed Mar. 31, 1995, (now U.S. Pat. No.5,680,598 issued Oct. 21, 1997) entitled "Addressing Extended MemoryUsing Millicode."

Application Ser. No. 08/414,812, filed Mar. 31, 1995, entitled "MappingProcessor State Into A Millicode Addressable Processor State RegisterArray" was abandoned in favor of a File Wrapper Continuation applicationSer. No. 08/892,068 filed Jul. 14, 1997, same title, now U.S. Pat. No.5,802,359 issued Sep. 1, 1998.

Application Ser. No. 08/414,164, filed Mar. 31, 1995, (now U.S. Pat. No.5,713,035 issued Jan. 27, 1998) entitled "Linking Program AccessRegister Number With Millicode Operand Access."

Application Ser. No. 08/414,975, filed Mar. 31, 1995, entitled "Priorityand Recovery Method For System Serialization (Quiesce)."

However, we discovered that there could still be improvements in themillicode environment. We will use in a new machine a new modality formillicode implementation which employs a group of new millicodeimprovements. Here a current group of improvements will be describedtogether for understanding their relationship together.

To illustrate, we have obtained improvement in a processor implementingInternational Business Machines Corporation' ESA/390 architecture andusing millicode as internal code for complex operations, by providing anew and an efficient means to answer the need to set and test variousconditions. In this area in the past various forms of status bits andcondition codes have been used in internal code. The millicode copy ofthe ESA/390 condition code and the corresponding Branch on Conditioninstructions are limited by the 2-bit format and by the broadly generalusage, which prevents the condition code from holding information acrossmany instructions. Bits of millicode registers can be defined to recordvarious conditions, and can be connected to branch points, but thiscreates a problem in a pipelined processor which limits their usefulnessin performance-sensitive millicode routines. Alternatively, status bitsin millicode registers can be explicitly tested via the millicodecondition code and Branch on Condition instructions, but this requiresmultiple instructions, which can impact performance in certain routines.This scheme also requires separate millicode instructions to manipulatethe flags in response to the detection of various conditions, againimpacting performance in some cases. For our preferred embodiment in thenew modality for satisfying the need to set and test various conditions,refer to the section below entitled "Millicode Flags with SpecializedUpdate and Branch Instructions."

For another improvement we have focused on the ESA/390 instructions Editand Edit and Mark which process a string of characters and decimaldigits using a second string as a pattern Generally, it has beenrecognized that in an ESA/390 implementation which uses millicode as itsinternal code, handling all of the cases and states defined by ESA/390requires a significant number of CP cycles. This impacts the performanceof these ESA/390 instructions, and thus of programs which make use ofthese instructions. Past S/390 (and its predecessors) CPUs have used avariety of algorithms to execute the Edit (ED) and Edit and Mark (EDMK)instruction. For the most part these have used internal code, and insome cases special internal code instructions have been defined toaccelerate this function. There has been a need for a new generationmachine to improve the performance of these instructions. For the keymodality for this purpose, refer to the section below entitled"Specialized Millicode Instruction for Editing Functions".

Now even our recent improvements as illustrated by U.S. Pat. No.5,694,587, issued Dec. 2, 1997. in the ESA/390 instruction Translate andTest (TRT) requires updates to two General Registers (GRs) and thecondition code to reflect the results of the operation. Past S/390 (andits predecessors) CPUs have used a variety of algorithms to execute theTranslate and Test (TRT) instruction. For the most part these have usedinternal code, and in some cases special internal code instructions havebeen defined to accelerate this function. In an ESA/390 implementationwhich uses millicode as its internal code, the computation andpropagation of these results requires a significant number of CP cycleseven after the translation and testing of operand bytes is complete.This impacts the performance of the Translate and Test instruction, andthus of program which make use of this instruction. So in order toimprove performance, we have provided a new and specialized instructiondescribed in the section below entitled "Specialized MillicodeInstruction for Translate and Test"

Lastly, in this description we have improved on packed decimal division.Past S/390 (and its predecessors) CPUs have used a variety of algorithmsto execute the Divide Decimal (DP) instruction. For the most part thesehave used internal code, and few if any internal code instructions havebeen defined to accelerate this function. Packed decimal division is acomputationally complex operation, particularly when the only packeddecimal arithmetic hardware available is an adder (as is commonly thecase). Because of this, the internal code sequences required to supportthe ESA/390 instruction Divide Decimal (DP) can require a large numberof cycles. In an application which makes even moderately frequent use ofthis operation, the time spent executing DP instructions can have asignificant negative impact on processor performance. For this purposeplease refer to the section below entitled "Specialized MillicodeInstructions for Packed Decimal Division"

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of this invention is the provision of a specialized millicodeinstruction set which reduces the number of millicode instructions andmachine cycles required to perform a certain complex operation that iscalled relatively frequently.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a specializedmillicode instruction set which conforms to an instruction format fornormal (i.e. non-millicode) operation and which requires a minimum ofhardware unique to the specialized set and for this purpose we haveprovided the improvements described under the sections relating toMillicode Flags with Specialized Update and Branch Instructions;Specialized Millicode Instruction for Editing Functions; SpecializedMillicode Instruction for Translate and Test; and Specialized MillicodeInstructions for Packed Decimal Division which are now preferred for ourESA/390 environment for a CMOS implementation, as we describe thembelow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other objects, aspects and advantages will be betterunderstood from the following detailed description of a preferredembodiment of the invention with reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the components of a millicodesystem in accordance with a preferred specific embodiment of theinvention, which is common to the system used for U.S. Pat. No.5,694,587.

FIG. 2 is a pictorial representation of the millicode flags withspecialized update and branch instructions, where Set Flags is definedby FIG. 2A; Reset Flags is defined by FIG. 2B; Load Flags is defined byFIG. 2C; and Branch Relative on Flags is defined by FIG. 2D.

FIG. 3 is is a pictorial representation of the EDBYT instruction definedby FIG. 3 as a specialized millicode instruction for editing functions;

FIG. 4 is a pictorial representation of the TRT Ending specializedmillicode instruction for Translate and Test; and

FIG. 5 is a pictorial representation of the specialized millicodeinstructions for packed decimal division, where FIG. 5A represents theDivide Decimal Fetch; and FIG. 5B illustrates the Divide DecimalQuotient; and the Divide Decimal Store is illustrated by FIG. 5C.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Our improvements described herein are directed to Millicode Flags withSpecialized Update and Branch Instructions; and Specialized MillicodeInstruction for Editing Functions; and Specialized Millicode Instructionfor Translate and Test; and Specialized Millicode Instructions forPacked Decimal Division; and each of these is described under asub-heading by the referenced name. However, all these improvementsrelate to our pipelined computer processor, which executes a relativelysimple instruction set in a hardware controlled execution unit andexecutes a relatively complex instruction set in a milli-modearchitected state with a millicode sequence of simple instructions inthe hardware controlled execution unit. The millicode is frequently usedand loaded into an extension of the L1 cache prior to need when theinstruction decode logic detects the requirement to enter milli-modewhich coses the millicodes to be fetched to a milli-code portion of themachines buffer control elements store through hich speed cache arraywhich functions as a first level of the storage hierarchy of themachine. The millicodes include the fields specified which providespecific data for the registers which will be used.

Instruction sets used in computer systems employing so-called ComplexInstruction Set Computing (CISC) architecture include both simpleinstructions (e.g. Load, or Add) and complex instructions (e.g. ProgramCall or Load Address Space Parameters). These complex instructions aredescribed in the "IBM Enterprise System Architecture/390 Principles ofOperation" (which is well known but available from IBM Corporation,Armonk, N.Y. as Publication Number SA22-7201-02). As these computersystems (e.g. IBM System S/390 systems using the ESA/390 architecture)have become more powerful, larger percentages of the instruction sethave been implemented using hardware execution units to increase thesystems performance. Conventionally, the complex functions areimplemented in micro-code because building hardware execution units toexecute them is expensive and error prone. Microcode was for instance afeature of the G3 S/390 machines prior to the introduction of the G4level of technology in 1997.

Implementing complex functions in microcode provides flexibility to fixproblems and expandability in that additional functions can he includedlater. In certain prior art machines, where much of the processor ishardware controlled, a dedicated microprocessor based execution unit isoften provided in order to implement the complex functions. This unitcan be microprogrammed to execute complex instructions and complexfunctions such as handling interrupt conditions.

More recently, prior art proposals have been advanced for machines witha so-called milli-mode operating capability; see, for example, IBMTechnical Disclosure Bulletin Vol. 35, No. 4A of September 1992,incorporated herein by reference, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,280,593 and5,226,164 assigned to the assignee of this invention and alsoincorporated herein by reference.

In order to introduce the new concepts, as background we will describemilli-mode detection logic which in the instruction decode logic detectsthe requirement to enter milli-mode, and this causes milli-code routinesto be fetched. The millicode routines are decoded by the decoderhardware and dispatched for execution in the same way as the architectedmacro-instructions (system-mode instructions).

Practically all of the architected macro-instructions that areimplemented as hardware controlled instructions can be executed inmilli-mode. The set of instructions available in milli-mode can beconsidered to be an alternate architecture that the processor canexecute.

The hardware-executed instructions which are valid only for millicodeare generally of a format and a function similar to those of ESA/390instructions. In this way, the unique hardware required to implementthese instructions is minimized, and the simplicity of the hardwaredesign is maintained. This simplicity of hardware controls is a chiefadvantage of millicode over other forms of internal code (e.g.microcode) which require considerably more unique hardware.

A disadvantage of a millicoded design is that some complex operationsrequire more internal code instructions and/or more machine cycles thanwith some forms of microcode. In some cases, this is due to theinefficiency of the base instruction set (e.g. the hardware-executedESA/390 instructions) when used to perform these complex operations.Depending on the frequency with which these operations are performed.the impact on overall system performance may be significant.

It will be noted that as illustrated by U.S. Pat. No. 5,694,587, issuedDec. 2, 1997, we have disclosed prior ideas for Translate and Test. TheESA/390 instructions Translate (TR) and Translate and Test (TRT) use atable of 256 bytes to translate a string of bytes. For each of theseESA/390 instructions, each string byte is used as an index into thetable, and the selected table byte is fetched. For Translate, theselected table bytes replace the original string in storage. ForTranslate and Test, the selected bytes are tested, and the firstnon-zero table byte selected is returned to the program in a generalregister along with the address of the string byte which selected it;translate and test also sets the condition code, and does not updatestorage. In this prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,694,587, it was noted that toprovide reasonable performance on Translate and Translate and Test,while maintaining flexibility and simplicity of a millicoded design, amillicode instruction called in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,694,587 "TranslateFetch (TRFET)" was provided specifically for use in execution of theESA/390 Translate and Translate and Test instructions. This TranslateFetch millicode instruction uses an RX format, but modifies theinterpretation of the X sub 2 and D sub 2 fields. Instead of designatinga byte offset the D sub 2 field is used as a 3-bit mask (M sub 2), theremaining bits of D sub 2 being ignored. The low-order 2 bits of thismask select one of the four bytes of the X sub 2 register to use as theactual index (rather than the entire X sub 2 register being used). Inaddition, the 3-bit mask selects one of the eight bytes of the MillicodeGeneral Register (MGR) pair designated by R sub 1 to receive the byte ofstorage accessed by the operand 2 address. The resulting contents of MGRpair R sub 1 are tested for a non-zero value and the condition code isset accordingly. The only dataflow hardware specifically required forthis millicode Translate Fetch instruction is a 4-to-1 byte multiplexerfor the X sub 2 input to the address adder.

As in the illustration of U.S. Pat. No. 5,694,587. issued Dec. 2, 1997,the following exemplary embodiment of the invention is applicable in theoverall context of a system generally conforming to IBM's current 390system architecture. Beginning with the G4 development and in our newmachine we use for millicode a separate set of millicode generalregisters, access registers (MAR) and control registers (MCR), inaddition to the registers used for macro-instructions, as well asadditional instructions to manipulate system status which were notavailable in the original bipolar ESA/390 machine or later horizontalmicrocode machines. Our solutions allow millicode routines to implementcomplete ESA/390 functions. A more detailed description of theconventional elements of such a 390 system processor can be found, forexample, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,901,233 to John S. Liptay, assigned to thesame assignee as the present invention, and incorporated by reference,in its entirety, as if printed in full below. While the System 390environment will be used as an example, it should be understood that thepresent invention is also readily applicable to other IBM (e.g. IBMSystem 370) and non-IBM architectures as well. While not limitedthereto, the invention is particularly well suited for use inconjunction with the enhanced error recovery system described in Ser.No. 08/149,260, filed Nov. 9, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,504,859 assignedto the assignee of this application, and also incorporated herein byreference The features of the G4 machine have been discussed in pages463. 473 of the IBM J. Research and Development, Vol. 41, No 4/5 forJuly/September 1997 when the G4 level of machine was introduced. Thisarticle, called "A high frequency custom CMOS S/390 micro-processor"authored by C. F. Webb and J. S. Liptay, is incorporated by reference.

Referring now to FIG. 1, elements of a system relevant to this inventioninclude a system storage 11, and a cache memory unit 12. The systemstorage 11 contains the instructions that the processor is executing aswell as the data those instructions are manipulating. The cache memoryunit 12, which includes a copy of the data and instructions theprocessor is presently executing, in this preferred embodiment is acache providing interleaved double word addressing. The cache memory 12logically includes a contiguously addressable writeable internal codearray 13 (a change from the G4), in which code for executing certainfrequently invoked milli-mode routines is stored.

An instruction unit subsystem 16 includes an instruction buffer (notshown in FIG. 1), instruction registers 18 and an instruction decoder20. The instruction unit subsystem receives macro-instructions,millicode instructions, and data from the cache memory unit 12.Instructions are parsed and placed into the instruction registers 18.The decoder 20 reads the contents of the instruction registers 18,decodes the instruction (or causes an operation exception), and passesthe instruction to an instruction queue for sequential execution by ahardware execution unit 24. Each hardware execution unit 24 has accessto a set of general purpose registers and access registers 21 for normalmacro-code instruction execution and to a set of general purposeregisters and access registers 23 for millicode instruction execution.Control logic controls the exchange of data between the two sets ofregisters when beginning or terminating a millicode routine.

Milli-mode detection logic 26 is coupled to the instruction registersand detects when a macro-instruction, which is being decoded, is of atype that is to be interpreted in a milli-mode operation. When thisoccurs, the milli-mode detection logic 26 generates an entry pointaddress and passes this address along to the instruction fetch controllogic 25 and places the decoder 20 into a milli-mode operating state. Inthis state the decoder is enabled to decode milli-mode instructions.Milli-mode instructions are vertical microcode, consisting of a mixtureof regular microcode instructions and special milli-mode onlyinstructions, all of which can be executed in the execution unit 24. Thespecial instructions provide control functions needed by the millicoderoutines. The set of millicode routines reside outside of the programaddressable storage.

The system effects of an executed instruction are architecturallyvisible in the completion logic 30. Signal lines between the completionlogic 30 and the decoder 20 allow the decoder 20 to keep track ofinstruction completion. A program status word (PSW) in register 31controls execution of the macro-program. Similarly, the system alsoincludes a milli-PSW register 33, which controls execution of themilli-routine. Both the execution unit 24 and the completion logic 30are connected to read from/write to the PSW and the milli PSW registers.Thus, at any given point the execution units or the completion logic canread or update the appropriate one of the PSW and/or milli-PSWregisters. A processor state unit 40 maintains the entire updated statusof the architected system both in regular mode and milli-mode operation.In the event of a detected error, the processor state unit 40 provides aresource to recreate the status of the system from a check point statein order to allow a retry of the error causing operation.

Milli-mode is enabled when the milli-mode detection logic 26 recognizesthat the macro-instruction being decoded is to be implemented withmillicode. In response to this recognition, the detection logic 26signals the decoder 20 the instruction fetch controls 35 and registercontrols in the execution unit 24. In response to the milli-moderecognition signal from the detection logic 26, the decoder 20 suspendsmacro-mode decoding, the execution unit register control copies thecontents of the GPRs 21 to the milli-registers 23 and causes the systemto subsequently use the milli-registers 23. The milli-mode detectionlogic 26 generates a millicode entry point address.

The entry point address (generated by the milli-mode detection logic 26)is used by the control logic 35 to address the cache 12.Milli-instructions from the cache are sent to the instruction registers18 where the decoder 20 decodes them and schedules them for execution.

When the processor enters milli-mode, it executes and completes themacro-instructions already in the pipeline conceptually prior to theinstruction that caused entry into milli-mode. As the processorcompletes the macro-instructions, it updates the appropriate GPRs. Atthe same time, the processor decodes and executes the milli-instructionsthat implement the macro-instruction that caused entry into milli-mode.

At some point the macro-instruction immediately prior to the instructionthat caused entry to milli-mode will be indicated completed in thecompletion logic 30. Only then does the processor begin to complete themilli-instructions. The processor then continues decoding, executing andcompleting the milli-instructions.

Eventually, the detection logic 26 recognizes a millicode END (MEND)milli-instruction. When the detection logic 26 detects a MENDmilli-instruction, it causes the processor to cease fetchingmilli-instructions. Further, when MEND is detected, the detection logicputs the decoder in macro-mode and causes the processor to beginfetching macro-instructions. Millicode explicitly updates all registers,so there is no transfer of register content when going from milli-modeoperation to regular operation.

Completion of a MEND milli-instruction causes the processor completionlogic to begin completing macro-instructions.

The processor can also enter milli-mode in response to an interrupt.When the completion logic detects an interrupt, the interrupt prioritylogic 45 determines that an interrupt is to be serviced and it signalsthe instruction fetch unit, causing the decoder to initiate milli-mode.The recognition of an interruption condition causes the processor tohalt macro-mode execution at the next interruptible point. The interruptpriority logic 45 also generates control inputs which are used by themilli-mode detection logic to generate an entry point address with whichto address the cache. These milli-instructions are sent to theinstruction registers where the decoder decodes them and schedules themfor execution at the appropriate hardware execution elements.

The processor proceeds to decode, execute and complete themilli-instruction in the milli-routine for interrupts. Eventually, thedecoder recognizes a MEND milli-instruction. This causes the decoder tostop decoding in milli-mode. Depending on whether or not there areadditional interrupts that require servicing, the decoder hardware willeither redo the interrupt process or return to decodingmacro-instructions from the cache.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Millicode Flags with Specialized Update and Branch Instructions

The solution disclosed here is a set of millicode flags which have somecharacteristics of the condition code and some of status bits inmillicode registers. The flags may be explicitly set and altered by aset of specialized millicode instructions. The flags may also be updatedimplicitly by certain specialized millicode instructions, serving as anextended condition code, and may alter the execution of specializedmillicode instructions. See the sections entitled "Specialized MillicodeInstruction for Editing Functions" and "Specialized MillicodeInstruction for Translate and Test". The flags are either cleared orspecially set on entry to millicode for an instruction, again acting asan extended millicode condition code.

In the initial implementation, the millicode flags are used to indicatespecial conditions for Move Long and Compare Long (zero lengths foroperand 1 or operand 2, and equal lengths for the two operands) and forLoad Control (load of CR6 only, load of CR0 only). These settings, whichrequire no additional hardware cycles in millicode entry, eliminateseveral millicode instructions each in the corresponding millicoderoutines.

The millicode flags can be used as branch points for static branchresolution. In addition, a new conditional branch instruction is definedfor use by millicode which allows millicode to branch, in a mannersimilar to Branch on Condition, on various combinations of millicodeflag settings. This new Branch on Flags instruction is also subject todynamic branch prediction, such as via a Branch History Table or BranchTarget Buffer, in the same manner as Branch on Condition.

The initial implementation of this invention makes use of four millicodeflags, as this fits naturally into an ESA/390 millicode design, and isadequate for present purposes. This could easily be extended to adifferent number of flags. FIG. 2 illustrates the detailed definitionfor specialized millicode instructions Set Flags, Reset Flags, LoadFlags, and Branch on Flags illustrated by FIGS. 2A. 2B, 2C, and 2D.

The Millicode Flags are set as defined with FIG. 2A. The second-operandaddress D₂ (B₂) is not used to access storage; instead, the low-orderfour bits (bits 28:31) of this address are used as a mask to selectwhich Millicode Flags are to be set. Flags for which the correspondingmask bit is `1`b are set to `1`b; flags for which the corresponding maskbit is `0`b are not changed.

The resulting Flags will be reflected in the result of a subsequentBranch Relative on Flags operation. Millicode must insure that there issufficient pipeline space between this instruction and a Branch RelativeSpecial instruction which tests a Millicode Flag value updated by thisinstruction.

The Millicode Flags are reset as defined with FIG. 2B. Thesecond-operand address D₂ (B₂) is not used to access storage; instead,the low-order four bits (bits 28:31) of this address are used as a maskto select which Millicode Flags are to be reset. Flags for which thecorresponding mask bit is `1`b are reset to `0`b; flags for which thecorresponding mask bit is `0`b are not changed.

The resulting Flags will be reflected in the result of a subsequentBranch Relative on Flags operation. Millicode must insure that there issufficient pipeline space between this instruction and a Branch RelativeSpecial instruction which tests a Millicode Flag value updated by thisinstruction.

The Millicode Flags are loaded as defined with FIG. 2C. Thesecond-operand address D₂ (B₂) is not used to access storage; instead,the low-order four bits (bits 28:31) of this address are written to thefour Millicode Flags.

The resulting Flags will be reflected in the result of a subsequentBranch Relative on Flags operation. Millicode must insure that there issufficient pipeline space between this instruction and a Branch RelativeSpecial instruction which tests a Millicode Flag value updated by thisinstruction, as defined with FIG. 2D.

The millicode instruction address is replaced by the branch address ifthe logical function of the millicode flags specified by M₁ and M₃ is alogical one; otherwise normal instruction sequencing proceeds with theupdated millicode instruction address. The contents of the I₂ field area signed binary integer specifying the number of halfwords that is addedto the address of the instruction to generate the branch address.

The M₁ field selects which of the four Millicode Flags will be used todetermine whether the branch is taken. The bits of M₁ correspondone-to-one with the four flag bits, and only those flags correspondingto `1`b bits in M₁ are used in the determination.

The M₃ field selects which logical function will be used to determinewhether the branch is taken. The following functions are available:

    ______________________________________                                        Code   Function                                                               ______________________________________                                        '0000'b                                                                              Branch if any selected flag is '1'b                                    '0001'b                                                                              Branch if all selected flags are '0'b                                  '0010'b                                                                              Branch if all selected flags are '1'b                                  '0011'b                                                                              Branch if any selected flag is '0'b                                    '0100'b                                                                              Branch if selected flags are mixed '0'b and '1'b (i.e. at least               one selected flag is '0'b and at least one is '1'b)                    '0101'b                                                                              Branch if selected flags are not mixed '0'b and '1'b                   ______________________________________                                    

Other values of M₃ may be defined for different logical functions todetermine whether the branch is to be taken.

If M₁ is `0000`b, it is unpredictable whether the branch will be taken.

Our preferred embodiment is applicable to an ESA/390 implementationwhich uses millicode as its internal code. The combinations of explicitand implicit settings, and of using the flags both as branch points (forstatic branch resolution at instruction decode time) and as a complexcondition code (for Branch on Condition--like branching) allow forgreater flexibility and in general better millicode performance than anyother solutions. This embodiment can be used by those using a ESA/390processor which uses millicode or internal code similar in form orstructure to millicode.

Specialized Millicode Instruction for Editing Functions

The solution described here is to define a new instruction for use byinternal code (millicode) in support of the ESA/390 instructions Edit(ED) and Edit and Mark (EDMK). This instruction processes one byte ofthe pattern string, generating one byte of the output string, andupdates various pointers and state indications to prepare for processingthe next byte.

A formal definition of this instruction follows. This invention alsomakes use of the millicode flags, which are included in a separatedisclosure.

A single byte is processed for an ESA/390 Edit or Edit and Markinstruction. MGR pair R₂ contains the pattern byte to be processed (fromoperand 1 of the ED or EDMK) in bits 16:23; the fill byte in bits 8:15;and the next operand 2 byte from the ED or EDMK in bits 56:63 (i.e. bits24:31 of MGR R₂ +1). The result byte generated is placed in bits 24:31of MGR R₁ by this instruction. Bits 0:23 of the value placed in MGR R₁are unpredictable.

The EDBYT instruction defined by FIG. 3 both uses and sets the MillicodeFlags, reflecting the status of the ED or EDMK state sequence. FLAG 0 isused as the significance indicator. FLAG 1 indicates which digit (rightor left) of the source byte is to be used next. FLAG 2 indicates whethera "mark" point (for EDMK) has been identified (this is set whenevercondition code 2 or condition code 3 is indicated by EDMK). FLAG 3indicates that a non-zero digit has been found in the current field.These flags should all be set to `0`b at the start of the ED or EDMKmillicode routine; subsequent updates to the flags are performed byhardware as part of the EDBYT instruction.

Execution of EDBYT, including formation of the result byte and update ofthe Millicode flags, is done according to FIG. 8-3 in in the definitionof the Edit instruction in the ESA/390 Principles of Operation. (SEEFigure ?? on page 25 WHICH IS A COPY OF THE REFERENCED FIGURE.)

The condition code is set to indicate whether a new operand 2 byte isneeded and whether the current operand 1 position must be noted for EDMKto use in updating GPR1, as follows:

    ______________________________________                                        Code  Condition                                                               ______________________________________                                        0     None of the conditions below are met                                    1     New operand 2 byte needed                                               2     Mark operand 1 position for EDMK                                        3     New operand 2 byte needed and mark operand 1 position for                     EDMK                                                                    ______________________________________                                    

    __________________________________________________________________________    Table Summary of Editing Functions                                                                      Results                                             Conditions                       State of                                              Previous                Significance                                          State of  Right Four    Indicator                                             Significance                                                                        Source                                                                            Source Bits   End of Digit                                 Pattern Byte                                                                           Indicator                                                                           Digit                                                                             Are Plus Code                                                                        Result Byte                                                                          Examination                                  __________________________________________________________________________    Digit selector                                                                         Off   0   *      Fill byte                                                                            Off                                                         1-9 No     Source digit#                                                                        On                                                          1-9 Yes    Source digit#                                                                        Off                                                   On    0-9 No     Source digit                                                                         On                                                          0-9 Yes    Source digit                                                                         Off                                          Significance starter                                                                   Off   0   No     Fill byte                                                                            On                                                          0   Yes    Fill byte                                                                            Off                                                         1-9 No     Source digit#                                                                        On                                                          1-9 Yes    Source digit#                                                                        Off                                                   On    0-9 No     Source digit                                                                         On                                                          0-9 Yes    Source digit                                                                         Off                                          Field separator                                                                        *     **  **     Fill byte                                                                            Off                                          Message byte                                                                           Off   **  **     Fill byte                                                                            Off                                                   On    **  **     Message byte                                                                         On                                           __________________________________________________________________________     Explanation:                                                                  * No effect on result byte or on new state of significance indicator.         ** Not applicable because source is not examined.                             # For EDIT AND MARK only, the address of the rightmost such result byte i     placed in general register 1.                                            

Specialized Millicode Instruction for Translate and Test

The solution described here is to define a new instruction for use byinternal code (millicode) in support of the ESA/390 instructionTranslate and Test (TRT). This instruction uses information in generalregisters, the condition code, and the millicode flags to generate therequired values and to update general register 1, general register 2,and the condition code, as required by the ESA/390 architecture.

A formal definition of this instruction follows. In addition, thisinvention makes use of the results from millicode instruction TranslateFetch, which was implemented in a prior design and as we discussed above"Translate Fetch (TRFET)" was provided specifically for use in executionof the ESA/390 Translate and Translate and Test instructions. at, Forthis invention, the Translate Fetch instruction previously introducedwas modified to update the millicode flags as well. This invention alsomakes use of the millicode flags, which have been discussed. The TRTEnding is illustrated by FIG. 4.

The contents of MGR pairs (R₁,R₁ +1) and (R₂,R₂ +1), the condition code,and the millicode flags are used to form the result values (program GR1,program GR2, and program condition code) for an ESA/390 Translate andTest (TRT) instruction. In this usage (which is the only usage supportedfor this instruction), MGR pair (R₁,R₁ +1) must contain the result of aTRFET instruction in which a non-zero result byte was found (i.e. CC≠0);MGR R₂ must contain the current value of program GR2; and MGR R₂ +1 mustcontain the address of the byte of operand 1 (from the TRT instruction)which was translated to the left-most byte of MGR R₁ by TRFET. Thecondition code and millicode flags must have been set by the TRFET whichloaded MGR pair (R₁,R₁ +1).

The hardware determines the location of the first non-zero byte in theTRFET result using the condition code and millicode flags. This byte isextracted from MGR R₁ or R₁ +1, inserted into byte of the value in MGRR₂, and the result is written to program GR2. The byte index of theselected byte from MGR pair (R₁,R₁ +1) is added to the value in MGR R₂+1 to form the address to be written in GR1 for the ESA/390 TRTinstruction. When the program is in 24-bit mode, bits 8:31 of thisaddress are written to bits 8:31 of program GR1, and bits 0:7 of programGR1 are unchanged. When the program is in 31-bit mode, bits 1:31 of thisaddress are written to bits 1:31 of program GR1, and bit 0 of programGR1 is set to zero. The program condition code is set to 1.

No millicode GRs are written by TRTX, and the millicode condition codeis not changed.

A hardware interlock prevents the decoding of any ESA/390 (i.e.non-millicode) instructions while a TRTX is waiting to be executed. Thisinsures that the updates to program GRs by TRTX are properly reflectedin the execution of subsequent program instructions even when TRTX isfollowed shortly by MCEND in a millicode routine.

Specialized Millicode Instructions for Packed Decimal Division

The solution described here is to define a set of three new instructionsfor use by internal code (millicode) in support of the ESA/390instruction Divide Decimal. These instructions make use of the hardwarecontrol and dataflow logic designed to support simpler packed decimaloperations (such as Add) to provide operand accss, checking, prepartion,and storing functions, and to generate the quotient digits as needed forthe DP instruction. By utilizing existing logic, the unique hardwarerequired for DP support kept to a minimum; by implementing these asinternal code instructions, rather implementing the entire DP functionin hardware, control is maintained in internal code, allowing simplerhandling of unusual and boundary conditions.

The first instruction, Divide Decimal Fetch, fetches the operands fromstorage, extends them on the left with zero digits as needed, checks thedigits and sign for validity, strips off and records the signs, computesthe number of significant digits in each operand, and saves its resultsin general registers and in the condition code. This instruction is usedonce for each execution of the ESA/390 DP instruction.

The second instruction, Divide Decimal Quotient, computes one digit ofthe quotient using operands stored in general registers. This is usedonce for each quotient digit to be generated.

The third instruction, Divide Decimal Store, inserts a sign and thenwrites a decimal result into storage. This is used twice in the internalcode for DP, once each for the quotient and remainder. Formaldefinitions of these instructions follow in the drawings in which FIG.5A represents the Divide Decimal Fetch.

The packed decimal operands for an ESA/390 Divide Decimal (DP)instruction are fetched and analyzed in preparation for execution of theDP operation. The first operand (dividend) is fetched from the storagelocation specified by D₁ (B₁) using MGR1.24:27 as the length field. Thesecond operand (divisor) is fetched from the storage location specifiedby D₂ (B₂) using MGR1.28:31 as the length field. Both operands arechecked for valid decimal digits and signs, and a decimal data exceptionis forced if any invalid digit or sign is found. The dividend is storedin MGRs 2-5, left-aligned such that the most significant non-zero digitis in MGR2.4:7, with zeros in MGR2.0:3 and zeros in all digit positionsto the right of the last digit of the dividend, with the sign digitremoved. The divisor is stored in MARs 6-7, left-aligned such that themost significant non-zero digit is in MAR6.4:7, with zeros in MAR6.0:3and zeros in all digit positions to the right of the last digit of thedivisor, with the sign digit removed. (Note that the ESA/390architecture requires that the length of the divisor (L₂ of the DPinstruction) be no greater than 8 bytes, so that with the sign removedand the alignment defined here, it is guaranteed to fit within MARs 6-7.No check is made by this instruction that the length meets thatrequirement, since the corresponding check is performed by the hardwarewhen the DP instruction is decoded.)

The numbers of significant digits in each of the decimal operands arecomputed (Op1SD, Op2SD) by counting decimal digits beginning with theleftmost non-zero digit and ending with the rightmost digit; trailingzeros in a non-zero number are counted as significant, and a value ofzero is considered to have zero significant digits. The number ofpotential quotient digits (QSD) is computed as QSD=Op1SD-Op2SD+1; ifOp2SD>Op1SD, QSD=0. Op1SD is written to MAR1.25:29, Op2SD is written toMGR6.25:29, QSD is written to MGR7.27:31; zeros are written toMAR1.0:24, MAR1.30.31, MGR6.0:24, MGR6.30:31, and MGR7.0:26.

Millicode Flag 0 is set to `1`b if the quotient will be negative, and to`0`b if it will be positive. Similarly, millicode Flag 1 is set to thesign of the remainder (which is the same as the sign of operand 1).Millicode Flag 3 is set to `1`b if Op2SD<8, and to `0`b otherwise.

The condition code is set to 3 if the divisor is 0 (Op2SD=0); otherwisethe condition code is set to 2 if Op1SD>15; otherwise the condition codeis set to 1 if Op1SD<Op2SD (including the case of Op1SD=0); otherwisethe condition code is set to 0.

FIG. 5B illustrates the Divide Decimal Quotient. One digit is computedof the quotient for an ESA/390 Divide Decimal (DP) instruction. R₁specifies an even/odd pair of MGRs containing an unsigned decimal valueof Up to 16 digits; in the intended usage, this is the working dividendfor the DP operation, left-aligned with at most one leading zero digit.R₂ specifies an even/odd pair of MARs containing an unsigned decimalvalue of up to 16 digits; in the intended usage, this is the divisor forthe DP operation, left-aligned with exactly one leading zero digit. R₃specifies an even/odd pair of MGRs which will contain the quotient digitcomputed by this instruction; in the intended usage, this is the partialquotient for the DP operation.

The decimal value in MGR pair R₁ is reduced by an integral multiple ofthe decimal value in MAR pair R₂ such that the resulting (reduced) valueis less than the decimal value in MAR pair R₂. This resulting value isthen shifted left 4 bits, inserting zeros in bits 60:63 and then writtento MGR pair R₁. (Note that in the intended usage, bits 0:3 of the valuein MAR pair R₂ must be zero, so that bits 0:3 of the reduced value mustbe zero prior to this shift operation.)

The quotient digit (QX) is computed as the multiple of the value in MARpair R₂ by which the value in MGR pair R₁ is reduced. (Note that in theintended usage, this must be an integer in the range 0-9; other usageyields unpredictable results.) The value in MGR pair R₃ is shifted left4 bits, QX is inserted in bits 60:63, and the result is written to MGRpair R₃.

This instruction requires a variable number of execution cyclesdepending on the value of QX.

The condition code is not changed by this instruction.

The Divide Decimal Store is illustrated by FIG. 5C. The decimal resultin MGRs 4-7 is stored at the second-operand address. The length of theoperand to be stored is specified in MGR1.28:31; bits 24:27 of MGR1 mustbe zero, and bits 0:23 of MGR1 are ignored. The decimal value to bestored must be right-aligned in MGRs 4-7, with the least significantdecimal digit in MGR7.28:31. If millicode Flag 0 is `0`b, the decimalvalue is stored as a positive number; if Flag 0 is `1`b, the value isstored as a negative number.

The decimal operand is shifted left 4 bits and the preferred sign codefor the specified sign is inserted on the right. The rightmost <n> bytesof this sign ed decimal number are then stored beginning at the storageaddress specified by D₂ (B₂), where <n>=(1+MGR1.28:31). The portion ofMGRs 4-7 not required to form an operand of this length is ignored.Storage access exceptions for operand 2 will be taken only for the bytesindicated by the length in MGR1.28:31.

The condition code is not changed by this instruction.

This preferred embodiment provides better performance than one whichuses only the general set of internal code instructions. It issubstantially simpler and more flexible than would be any completelyhardwired solution we can envision. This embodiment will be used tobuild an ESA/390 processor which uses millicode or other internal codesimilar in form or structure to millicode.

While we have described our preferred embodiments of our invention, itwill be understood that those skilled in the art, both now and in thefuture, may make make various improvements and enhancements which fallwithin the scope of the claims which follow. These claims should beconstrued to maintain the proper protection for the invention firstdisclosed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A computer system having a pipelined computerprocessor, which executes a relatively simple instruction set in ahardware controlled execution unit and executes a relatively complexinstruction set in a milli-mode architected state with a millicodesequence of simple instructions in said hardware controlled executionunit, a millicode method for setting and testing conditions withspecialized update and branch instructions comprising the steps of:storing in an internal code array milli-mode routines as said set ofmillicode simple instructions, and when milli-mode detection logiccoupled to instruction registers of said processor detects that amacro-instruction, which is being decoded, is of a type that is to beinterpreted in said milli-mode architected operating state then saidmilli-mode architected state is enabled with a milli-mode recognitionsignal and macro-mode decoding by said processor is suspended to causethe system to subsequently use processor milli-registers, whereupon amilli-mode entry point address is generated to address the millicodestored in said internal code array which are fetched from said internalcode array and sent to said processor instruction registers whereuponthe processor's decoder decodes them and schedules them for executionupon entry into the processor milli-mode, and whereupon on entry to amilli-mode millicode routine one or more millicodes provide an editingfunction in which the editing function instruction for an ESA/390 Editor Edit and Mark instruction processes one byte of an input patternstring, generating one byte of an output string, and updates variouspointers and state indications to prepare for processing the next bytein a string; andwherein the editing function instruction for processingthe next byte in a string provides that a single byte is processed foran ESA/390 Edit or Edit and Mark instruction and the processor's MGRpair R&sub2. register contains the pattern byte to be processed (fromoperand 1 of the ED or EDMK) in bits 16:23; the fill byte in bits 8:15;and the next operand 2 byte from the ED or EDMK in bits 56:63 (i.e. bits24:31 of MGR R&sub2.+1) and in which the result byte generated is placedin bits 24:31 of MGR R&sub1. by the editing function instruction.
 2. Amethod according to claim 1 wherein in the editing function instructionBits 0:23 of the value placed in MGR R&sub1. are unpredictable.
 3. Amethod according to claim 1 wherein the editing function instructionboth uses and sets the millicode flags, reflecting the status of the EDor EDMK state sequence.
 4. A method according to claim 3 wherein for theediting function instruction, FLAG 0 is used as the significanceindicator; FLAG 1 indicates which digit (right or left) of the sourcebyte is to be used next; FLAG 2 indicates whether a "mark" point forEDMK has been identified by a set whenever condition code 2 or conditioncode 3 is indicated by EDMK; and FLAG 3 indicates that a non-zero digithas been found in the current field.
 5. A method according to claim 3wherein for the editing function instruction, all flags are set to `0`bat the start of the ED or EDMK millicode routine; and subsequent updatesto the flags are performed by hardware as part of the editing functioninstruction for processing the next byte in a string.
 6. A methodaccording to claim 3 wherein for the editing function instruction forprocessing the next byte in a string execution, including formation ofthe result byte and update of the Millicode flags, is done according tothe system's definition of the Edit instruction, and the condition codeis set to indicate whether a new operand 2 byte is needed and whetherthe current operand 1 position must be noted for EDMK to use in updatingGPR1, as follows:

    ______________________________________                                        Code  Condition                                                               ______________________________________                                        0     None of the conditions below are met                                    1     New operand 2 byte needed                                               2     Mark operand 1 position for EDMK                                        3     New operand 2 byte needed and mark operand 1 position for                     EDMK                                                                    ______________________________________                                    